Tuesday, April 17, 2018

Book Review: 'Lifeline' by Kit Power

Pain is a signal that something has gone wrong in a body, but that isn’t the only purpose it serves.

The blurb barely scratches the surface of what this story is about, but in this case that’s a good thing. Not knowing exactly what to expect when I started reading made it even scarier once I realized what was happening to the narrator. It’s difficult to go into specifics without giving away spoilers, but this is definitely something that belongs in the horror genre.

I would have liked to see a little more time spent developing the final scene. It felt slightly abrupt to me based on how much time was spent earlier on in the plot wrestling with whether or not the narrator will get what he wants. The pacing was well-done throughout this piece, but when it ended I felt like I’d been dropped over the side of a cliff. A certain amount of dread works well in this sub-genre, but Lifeline would have easily earned a much higher rating if it had provided a few more details about the last jaw-dropping paragraph.

The fast-paced, thrilling plot lead me to finishing this tale in one sitting. By the end of the second scene I couldn’t wait to find out what would happen next because the author had already shocked me with certain twists. I’ve read one other book by Mr. Power so far, and it’s interesting to see how his writing style evolves from one set of characters to the next. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for more from him in the future!

Lifeline wallows in the dark, sinister side of the horror genre. This is a good choice for anyone who likes to be scared by things that actually happen.

Editor's note: This article was originally published at Long and Short Reviews. It has been republished with permission.Like what you read? Subscribe to the SFRB's free daily email notice so you can be up-to-date on our latest articles. Scroll up this page to the sign-up field on your right.